Blues' resistance broken at the death

, 22 February, 0comments  |  Jump to most recent
Chelsea 1 - 0 Everton

Everton were just three minutes from earning a hard-fought goalless draw but were crushed by an injury time goal that broke the Blues' faltering resistance.

Roberto Martinez's side had successfully frustrated Chelsea to that point, first by carrying the game to them impressively in the first half and then by digging in with determination as the Premier League leaders tried to increase the pressure in the second.

But they couldn't hold out, particularly as a succession of niggly fouls in their own half kept gifting the home side set-piece opportunities to break the deadlock and it was from a Phil Jagielka foul two minutes into stoppage time that John Terry forced in off Howard from a Frank Lampard free kick.

Martinez had been forced into a late change to his starting line-up, Lacina Traore not deemed fit enough to play due to a recurrence of his hamstring problem, which meant Steven Naismith leading the line with Kevin Mirallas and the Belgian midfielder had Everton's two best chances of the game but saw one half-volley deflect wide and then made a mess of another effort from outside the area after good work by Steven Pienaar.

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Earlier, Leon Osman, starting in place of Ross Barkley in midfield, had forced a great save from Petr Cech who palmed his powerful drive over the crossbar and Chelsea wouldn't trouble Tim Howard unduly until late in the half when Samuel Eto'o wriggled past Sylvain Distin and the American parried his effort away.

Everton were less impressive going forward after half time and Chelsea began to assert themselves but found the visitors in stubborn mood. Distin and Jagielka made for an impressively disciplined barrier in the heart of the Blues' defence and on the rare occasions they were breached, Howard came the rescue. The 'keeper made a superb double-stop with an hour gone to deny Eden Hazard and Branislav Ivanovic but was largely untested by the Londoners' wayward shooting.

Martinez would successively throw Ross Barkley, Gerard Deulofeu and Aiden McGeady on as the half wore on in an attempt to pinch the points but the Blues offered little in the way of clear-cut chances at the other end. Osman's deflected shot almost sneaked past Cech but was palmed behind but that was it apart from a number of poor set-piece deliveries that Chelsea's defence were able to comfortably deal with.

The game was heading for a draw, one that would have been gratefully received by Everton, until Lampard swung a free kick right into the heart of the Blues' defence where only Terry gambled in front of Howard, getting there ahead of everyone and doing enough to steer it in off the American.

It was a goal that could prove vital in the context of the title race but it was a sickening blow for Everton who, having come into 2014 with just two losses all season have now lost three consecutive away games in the Premier League.

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